


The Weather Was Nice

by IAmReal



Category: Monsta X (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Awkward Romance, Drama, Family, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Family Issues, JeongCheol will sail, M/M, Swearing, because of junhao, i want this to be as “light” as possible TT, mentions of mental issues, well we’ll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-08 17:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19873015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmReal/pseuds/IAmReal
Summary: Soonyoung is an 8-year-old kid who has a lot of friends and has a lot of love to give.Seungcheol is that awkward and embarrassing father one can have but is the greatest dad ever.Jihoon is an 8-year-old kid who tends to push people away and keep quiet, being the target of bullies in his school.Jeonghan is his father who lost his eye sight and husband from a car accident. He’s very sensitive and fragile. He might not be able to see his son grow up.Mingyu and Wonwoo are the ideal family with their sons named Hansol and Seungkwan.(Minghao thinks Junhui is a motherfucker and truly, the latter doesn’t care.)Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s lives in general are absolute shits, and they just want to move on and be loved again.





	1. A Lovely Home

“Soon—“

He brings his arm down.

“Nevermind.”

Seungcheol gives out a forced smile at some parents cooing at his son who never fails to make everyone laugh. They’re at the playground in front of the school building as it’s already time for the kids to go home. Seungcheol was pretty much late when he exited his car, but seeing Soonyoung dancing around while another kid was playing a xylophone was enough to make him feel at ease.

He’s never late when he picks Soonyoung up.

“You really have a great son,” The awkward smile falls down and he faces Mingyu, tall man in a navy blue suit with a child in his arms. “I wish Seungkwan’s like that.”

“Did you just—“ Another male, probably his husband, sighs and hits his forehead. He takes the sobbing boy from Mingyu’s arms then looks at Seungcheol. He smiles. “I’m sorry about that. My name’s Jeon Wonwoo.”

“My husband!”

“Shut up.”

That took Seungcheol by surprise. He takes a hand out as he observes Wonwoo’s very striking features.

_They don’t look compatible at all._

“Is Soonyoung your son?”

“Yes, he is my son.”

They look at the direction of the mini stage some teachers set up. The boy is still dancing energetically in front of the parents as they clap in amusement. Even the baby in Wonwoo’s arms stops crying when they erupt in loud cheers. Soonyoung’s laugh is louder than the voices and music combined.

He stops abruptly though, when he catches a glimpse of his father by the side and his eyes widen slightly.

“Appa!”

Seungcheol isn’t a confident soul out there. So when all eyes turn to him he goes in a deep shade of red that gets hidden by his scarf. Mingyu chuckles.

“Right, I forgot about your people phobia.”

“Appa!” Soonyoung is clinging on his legs in an instant. “Did you see me dance?! I did great, right?! Even Jihoon’s laughing!”

“Jihoon?”

“Yeah! That kid over there!” The four of them look at the same direction but find no one sitting on the swing. It’s slightly moving though, all they see are leaves falling from the branch on top. “Huh. I guess he left?”

“You did great today!” Mingyu gives him a high-five. Soonyoung grins widely then makes grabby hands at the baby—Hansol’s his name, Seungcheol heard—who laughs at him back. “We better get going. See you at work tomorrow, hyung.”

“It was nice meeting you!” Wonwoo then takes another child’s hand who came running to them. “Say bye to Soonyoung, Seungkwan.”

“Bye!”

“Bye!”

The parent and son duo approach the car in front of the playground, Seungcheol making sure that Soonyoung’s belt is completely secured. He runs around the car to get to the driver’s seat.

“Appa, do I have taekwondo today?”

“Um not today, Soonyoung.” He drives away.

The father sees the flash of disappointment on his face. He gives out that forced smile he’s accustomed to before he parks the car in front of the house. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, appa. There might be a reason?”

Seungcheol could just watch as his son exits the car, his bang clinging around his neck. He has his own house keys that the parent doesn’t bother worrying about him as he enters the house.

He takes out his wallet and looks at their family picture.

“Younghee, what should I do?”

—

Seungcheol wakes up extra early the next day. He does his usual routine; stand from the bed, wipe his face with his wrinkled hands, get up, go straight to the bathroom, take a piss, then go straight to the kitchen. Taking a bath is his last priority. Forget about being late, his son needs him more.

He opens his internet browser to search for simple recipes that he can cook for Soonyoung. Right. Seungcheol’s never the good cook. He constantly looks for child-friendly stuff, despite having to raise Soonyoung for 3 years already. 

He’s not that confident.

“Okay, here we go!” He wears the pink apron, suddenly feeling nostalgic about something but he shakes his head. “Now’s not the time to think about that.”

As he cooks more of the eggs he already cracked open, his son pops out of the living room with half-opened eyes and a deep frown.

“Appa?”

Seungcheol’s almost finished and he’s just transferring everything in the lunch box.

“Good morning.”

“Good morni—What’s that smell?”

Seungcheol takes both his cheeks and kisses him straight on the lips.

After having breakfast and taking both their baths, Soonyoung jumps on the passenger sit. Seungcheol locks both their seatbelts then the engine is turned on.

It only takes 15 minutes to get to school, sometimes Seungcheol would have a few more minutes to spare before going to work. There are also times Mingyu and he would go to work together as they also live near the school. More time for their kids.

“Soonyoung hyung!”

Everyone hears Mingyu’s dramatic scream followed by his son’s bag falling from his grasp when he closes the car door, Seungkwan running toward Soonyoung and his dad. Seungcheol snickers at him. Whenever he sees his colleague at school he can’t help but expect something clumsy happening. Mingyu grins at him then takes the bag, running to his overly excited son.

“Hey, Kwanie!”

“I’m going to leave you for now, okay?”

Soonyoung smiles brightly at his dad. The single parent gives him a hug and a chaste kiss before dragging Mingyu back to his car. He’s always so dramatic whenever he leaves Seungkwan like he hasn’t raised him for 6 years.

“Let’s go to work, buddy.”

“Wonwoo’s in the car. Gotta drop him off to work.”

“Oh. Really?” Said guy emerges from the car. “Hey, Wonwoo.”

“Hey.”

“He works at a—“

“Don’t. Kim Mingyu—“

“—flower shop he owns.”

Seungcheol hums in amazement. He then notices Wonwoo’s laid back fashion like he’s not going to work at all, then the huge bouquets at their car’s back seats.

“Okay! See you at work!”

“Yeah.” He watches the car speed away.

“Bye appa! I love you! Take care!”

•

“Jihoon?”

Silence greets Jeonghan. The parent sighs, feeling his way inside his own house. His eyes are wide open but he can’t see anything, rather trying to sense if he’s in the right direction or not.

“Jihoon already left for school, hyung.” He slightly jumps at the voice. Chan walks toward him, takes his hand and guides him toward the counter. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Jeonghan takes a sit. “How come you’re here? Don’t you have any class?”

“I actually do. But I figured I’d stop by since school’s on the way here.”

Jeonghan hums. “That’s very nice of you.”

They become enveloped in silence, Chan’s skillful hands all over the stove as he cooks something for the blind man. Jeonghan is occupied with a Braille book Jihoon gave him during fathers’ day, and he keeps on reading it even though he already did for hundreds of times.

As his hands scan the dots on the grainy paper he can’t help but feel devastated of his condition.

Jeonghan lost his sight 5 years ago, the same time his husband Jisoo died beside him. He remembers picking up the three-year-old Jihoon from his grandparent’s house, Jisoo promising them that they’ll come back sooner or later. What they didn’t expect was their son wouldn’t be able to visit them ever again as their car comes spinning on the slippery road, followed by blinding lights and the next thing Jeonghan knew, his eyes were wrapped with something, a very strong smell from his side, and then there was Jihoon crying and asking for his other dad.

Jeonghan remembers how much he screamed when he couldn’t take the bandage off. His whole body felt weak, Jihoon was clinging to him asking where Jisoo was. It was like the end of the world for him.

When they announced Jisoo died because of the crash, Jeonghan couldn’t feel any more pain. He felt numb.

He never had the chance to see his husband’s body before they buried it several feet under the ground. He remembers how their parents were on hysterics and assuring Jeonghan it was never his fault. It will never be his fault but how could they be so sure?

“Hyung!”

“Huh?”

Chan takes the glass from Jeonghan’s hands. The younger sighs, wiping the sweat forming on his forehead. The water almost spilled all over the book and if Jihoon sees that he’ll get very upset.

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

The house phone rings loudly and Chan takes it as an excuse from the growing awkward atmosphere. Time’s also ticking away and he needs to get to school before the clock strikes nine.

“Hello?”

“Jeonghan?”

“Who is this?”

“Wait, who is this?”

“I think we dialed the wrong number.”

“ No, we didn’t.”

“ Hello ?” C han looks over his shoulder and sees Jeonghan looking at his direction. “This is Yoon Jeonghan’s friend. Do you need something?”

“Oh. Hi! My name’s Seokmin. Is he around?”

“Who is it?”

Chan puts the phone on his chest.

“He said his name is Seokmin.”

“Tell him I’m not around.”

“Why?”

Jeonghan closes his eyes. “Just tell him.”

Chan goes back to the phone. Several people are talking at the other side and he doesn’t know how to tell them. Seokmin goes back to the phone to ask about Jeonghan again.

“I’m sorry but he’s not around.”

“Are you sure? I think I just heard his voice.”

“Put the phone down, Chan.”

“I’m sorry. Bye!”

He slams the phone down, scaring both him and Jeonghan. He’s suddenly breathing deeply and he looks at the older’s eyes staring off the distance, a firm line on his face like he’s thinking of something.

Chan clears his throat and stands.

“I better go or else I’ll be late.”

Jeonghan holds on the couch.

“I’ll send you off.”

“Hyung, you don’t need to! You should just rest and finish your food, okay?” He pats him on the head before giving him a soft peck on the forehead. “Hyung, you know that I’ll always be here, right?”

“Yes Chan, I know that. But you don’t have to.” Jeonghan smiles at him. “Ace all your exams, kid.”

—

Jeonghan hears the click of the door and he whips his head around.

“Jihoon?”

“Appa,” He can feel his kid walking toward him and then there he is on his lap, hugging him tight by the neck. “They bullied me again.”

Chan closes the door behind him silently, watching the two in pity.

He left school earlier than usual since they didn’t have study hall and decided to pick Jihoon up on the way. When he saw him waiting in the playgrounds, both of them gave each other big smiles but they turned sour in an instant as several children blocked Jihoon’s view.

Chan never felt so mad at kids before. He pushed through the small crowd, taking Jihoon in his arms and glaring at the others as hard as he could.

“Let’s keep this a secret, okay? Promise?” Jihoon shook his head at that.

“Again? What do you mean again?”

Jihoon isn’t the type of kid to cry so easily. It just became like that after Jisoo left them in tragedy. 

“The other kids just keep on bullying me that’s why I don’t have friends.”

“Oh baby,” Jeonghan’s bottom lip quivers. Chan excuses himself with a small bow and leaves the house, feeling heavy he can’t do anything for the both of them. He’s good friends with Jeonghan ever since the older moved houses 4 years ago.

“Appa, don’t cry.”

“How can’t I? They’re bullying you and you never told me?”

“I’m telling you now?”

Jeonghan openly cries by now. Jihoon wipes his hands all over his dad’s face while giving him kisses.

“But I’m okay, though! They never touch me or hit me. I can fight them, too!”

“Don’t do that, Jihoonie.” He takes the child’s head and cradles him on his chest, sighing and letting the tears fall down freely. “Don’t do anything bad to others. But don’t let them do anything to you too.”

“Okay, appa. But stop crying!”

“I will, I will now.” He holds Jihoon’s hands as they wipe away his tears. “I love you so much, my Jihoonie. Never forget that.”

“Me too! I love appa and daddy!”

He stays silent for a while but Jeonghan cries again.

“Appa stop crying!”

“To—Tomorrow I’ll d—drop you off to your school okay? Okay?”

“Okay!”

After having a light dinner and washing Jihoon with a bit of difficulty, both of them snuggle in the covers hugging each other. Jihoon falls asleep easily with his teddy bear in his arms, while Jeonghan hugs his own personal teddy bear with a small smile on his lips.

_Good night, Jisoo._

He never felt so troubled falling asleep.


	2. Friends

“The boss roasted you quite well, hyung!”

Seungcheol glares at Mingyu. Another colleague by the name Jooheon also laughs while re-enacting the scene with Mingyu and in no time they both fall down laughing. The single parent can only sigh and walk away from them to his own office but yes, he really had a mouthful of words to swallow from the CEO because not only did he come late for work, but his report was wrong in all levels.

His only wish is to not be removed from his job.

He swivels on his chair with an arm over his eyes. He just wants the day to be over and snuggle under the sheets.

“Sir,” He looks at his secretary. “You have a call from line 1.”

Seungcheol takes the phone, wondering who would be calling him in the middle of work. He doesn’t really get phone calls that often if not for project proposals which are highly being filtered by his secretary (sometimes Mingyu, too) before they can even get to him.

“Hello?”

“Appa!”

He sits straight, almost rocking forwards and hitting his face on the desk. “Soonyoung?”

“Hi appa!”

It takes him by surprise but the smile that forms can rip his face apart. His secretary leaves with a small smile too then closes the door for him.

“Did Soonyoungie get a new phone?”

“Yes! Wait, no. My teacher let me borrow hers so I can talk to you!”

“Oh really?” Seungcheol leans back. “How did you know my office phone number, though? Hm?”

“Guess!”

Soonyoung is too cute for his dad as he feels all the butterflies in his stomach. His son talks about his day and Seungcheol does the same, both of them exchanging encouraging words and affection through the phone.

The bell rings and the teacher asks Soonyoung for her phone back.

“Okay, but appa, you know Jihoon right?”

“Um. No?”

“Really? Well, we talked today! He’s always being bullied by our classmates but I saved him today!”

“Woah, really?” Seungcheol can’t help but frown. “Is he okay?”

“Yes, he is! I saved him in no time. Appa, I have to go to class now. Bye!”

“Okay. Do your best! Wait for appa to pick you up later.”

“Okay!”

As he puts the phone down does he worry what if they do the same to Soonyoung?

•

Jeonghan is with Chan again, the both of them walking around the neighborhood where Jihoon’s school is located. The high school boy doesn’t have any class so he escorted Jeonghan who really wanted to drop Jihoon off. Now, the both of them are waiting for the clock to strike after lunch so Jihoon can be dismissed.

“Do you want to do anything while we wait, hyung?”

“Sure. What do you think we should do?”

Chan looks around.

“How about some bubble tea and then we go to the park?”

“That sounds nice.”

Jeonghan waits outside of the tea shop, sitting on the bars and holding on to his cellphone. It’s still the same phone he used before meeting Jisoo, the one he used when they flirted and did all sorts of things together. He holds the tears back. It’s going to be very embarrassing crying in public.

As he waits someone suddenly puts a hand on his back. Jeonghan freezes for a second and calls for Chan’s name but the man doesn’t answer.

“Who’s Chan? Your boyfriend?”

His eyes widen. His hands start shaking, alarms blaring in his head and he feels so helpless at this point. If only he can see who the person is will he be able to decide if he should calm down or defend himself.

“Um. Excuse me, but do I know you?”

“That’s for you to find out.”

Shit . Jeonghan falls from the bars. Arms go around him but he shakes them off, holding himself and feeling his way to the shop. Chan said it’s literally in front of him, maybe around twenty steps and he should be holding the door.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“Please leave me alone.”

“Don’t you want company?” He shuts his eyes tight.

Why is he so afraid? He can just push him away but he doesn’t know where to run.

Why is Chan taking so long?

“Hyung!”

Jeonghan abruptly opens his eyes.

“What the hell are you doing?! Get your hands off him!”

—

Seungcheol pulls up in front of the playground, waving at his son from the open window. He’s with another boy meekly sitting beside him and he wonders if that is Jihoon. He has that look of a victim but, Seungcheol does feel bad for thinking that way.

“Mingyu please get out of my car.”

“Are you still mad at me?!” The said man points at himself with his mouth ajar. “Wow. I actually saved your ass back there, hyung. Even though your report didn’t mean anything.”

“More reason for you to exit my car.”

“There’s Wonwoo! Thanks hyung!”

Seungcheol looks at him in disbelief. He exits his car and stares at Mingyu running for his husband then engulfing him in a hug, Wonwoo going in a deep shade of red as he pushes him away. 

“That was uncalled for!”

“What? There’s nothing wrong, though.”

“We’re in front of the school, you damn idiot!”

Mingyu pouts. Seungcheol rolls his eyes then looks for Soonyoung. 

He’s suddenly gone. Where could he be?

“I never heard you talk.”

Jihoon stares at Soonyoung who’s sitting in front him with his legs swinging back and forth.

“Or maybe I already did. But I already forgot. Anyway, we can be friends right? I saved you from those bullies! Since when were they bullying you? Or they’re your friends and that’s their way of playing with you?”

The smaller kid stands from his position. Why is Soonyoung so talkative? He doesn’t appreciate these kind of people as Jeonghan and Chan aren’t talkative themselves. He’s mostly cooped up by the two now so he’s very unsure of being this close to others.

“Hey! Where are you going?!”

“Home.”

“Oh, you talked! Are your parents here already?”

“No—“

“Can I meet them?!”

Jihoon stops walking. He turns around and looks up at Soonyoung.

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why do you want to meet them?”

“Because I’m your friend?”

He gives him a look before Jihoon hears his name being called. When he faces the front again, he sees Chan waving at him and his dad by his side. His face lights up slightly.

“Wow, you also smile!”

“Appa!”

Soonyoung watches Jihoon run toward a very tall man and jump in his arms. He has brown hair and he laughs as he hugs Jihoon, giving his face small kisses but he misses multiple times. He looks at Jihoon taking hold of his face and giving his lips a kiss instead.

“That must be his dad.”

“Soonyoung!” He looks to his right and Seungcheol leans down. “Where were you? I just parked the car and you were gone!”

“Hm? I was with Jihoon!” Soonyoung points at their direction. Seungcheol follows his hand and sees three males huddled in a small circle and laughing at something.

So that’s really Jihoon?  His mouth opens slightly. He gives the other two a glance, suddenly curious why the taller keeps on moving his head around and whenever the other talks to him, he looks atop his head. Seungcheol shakes his head and gives Soonyoung a piggy back ride.

“Do I have taekwondo today?”

“Yes, you do.”

“Yes!”

“Hyung, are you already okay?”

“Of course I am!” Chan frowns at Jeonghan who’s all smiles at Jihoon. It’s like he’s trying to erase the scene that unfolded before Chan.

If only he’d be able see what Chan could see, he’d be terrified. That man was much older than Jeonghan and the way he looked at him felt murderous and scandalous.

He shudders at the thought.

Jeonghan doesn’t own a walking stick to guide him wherever he goes, so he holds Chan’s shoulder whom he knows will guide him wherever they go.

“I met a nice person today. I think he’s nice but he’s very talkative.”

Jeonghan smiles.

“Who could that be?”

“His name is Soonyoung.”

Chan gives Jihoon a ruffle on his hair.

“Was it that kid you were with near the swings?”

“Yes.”

“Hm, can you describe him to me, Jihoonie?”

Jeonghan hoists him up and they walk across the playground.

“He has small eyes, they’re pointed on the end. He calls himself ten-ten and I don’t know why. He’s very talkative, he likes to dance, the teachers love him and he has many friends.”

“Are you also his friend?” Jeonghan directs his eyes on him. Jihoon looks at them, though lifeless, and he nods.

“Yes. He said I’m his friend and he wants to meet you.”

“Really?”

Wonwoo takes Seungkwan in his arms and smiles down at Soonyoung, as Seungcheol introduces the both of them.

“Wow. We have the same eyes, uncle Wonwoo! They’re like ten-ten!”

“Ten...what?”

“Like this!” He puts both his index fingers under his eyes and Wonwoo laughs.

“I get it now. But my eyes are just nine-nine though?”

Mingyu looks at him.

Seungcheol chuckles.

“We’ll leave first. I don’t want to bother grandma for taking care of Hansol any longer.” Wonwoo smiles at Mingyu.

“Oh yeah, sure. Seungkwan, say bye to Soonyoung and uncle Cheol!”

“Bye!” He waves his small hands at them and Seungcheol coos at him. Soonyoung does too, but only a little. “Bye Jihoon!”

“Jihoon?”

Seungcheol can’t get enough of that name since last week. They all look at the direction of Jihoon and he shyly waves his hand back. 

“He finally answered us!” The two kids share a hi-five.

In just a second though, Jihoon falls from Jeonghan’s arms who also immediately falls on his knees. Mingyu runs toward them and takes the kid while Chan helps Jeonghan to stand.

“Oh my god. Jihoon? Appa is sorry, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Mingyu dusts the child’s clothes.

“I’m okay.”

Several kids start laughing and Seungcheol looks at them, a gush of sadness hitting him to the core. His hands ball up into fists and Soonyoung glares at Jihoon’s bullies.

“Yah! What was that?!”

“Seungkwan,” Wonwoo holds his son’s head and presses it on his thigh. “Don’t fight with them.”

“But they pulled on Jihoon’s foot and his dad also fell to the ground!”

Jeonghan’s tears threaten to fall from his eyes. Chan is starting to panic, trying to fan his hyung’s face to make them stop but nothing is working out. Mingyu is holding Jihoon in his arms who’s glaring from his shoulder at the bullies.

“Jihoon is such a baby! Still asking for his appa to pick him up and carry him!” Then they laugh more. He struggles to put himself down from Mingyu’s hold.

Soonyoung looks at his dad and frowns. He knows he hates these kind of people the most. He takes his dad’s hands and smiles at him in hopes of calming him down, and Seungcheol holds them back or else he’s going to do something to those kids and regret later on.

Jeonghan feels Jihoon’s frame and takes him forcefully from Mingyu’s arms. Both males look surprised but Mingyu bows.

“I’m sorry. I just ran and saw him on the ground so I took him. I’m really sorry—“

“It’s okay.” Jeonghan wipes his tears and smiles at Jihoon’s direction. But it isn’t his son’s direction, it’s Chan’s. “Jihoon, we’re going home now, okay?”

Mingyu’s looks at them in confusion.

_Who really is Jihoon here? Are they both named Jihoon?_

Chan nods and takes Jeonghan by the arm.

“Yes, hyung.” He looks at Mingyu and bows. “Please excuse us.”

“Oh, sure!”

Mingyu goes back to Wonwoo and gives him a kiss on the head, while Seungcheol stares at the three exiting the playground. There are teachers who exited the building in the last minute, scolding their students for doing something like that who don’t listen to them at all.

_Just what the hell was that?_ Seungcheol looks at the kids.

“Jihoon’s appa is blind and it’s disgusting!”

“Stupid!”

They laugh until their own parents pick them up when the teachers reported their actions. Seungcheol looks pleased when they get scolded big time.

When they’re situated beside their cars, Wonwoo tells them about what he heard a few weeks ago by Jihoon and a teacher near the swings, talking about his family but more specifically his dad.

“So he’s really blind?”

“That’s what the child said. He also said something about his other dad who’s in a far away place and he’ll never be able to see him again.”

Seungkwan and Soonyoung poke their heads out of the windows.

“His other appa died?!”

“Oh so you mean he’s dead?” Mingyu looks horrified. Wonwoo sighs and nods slightly, focusing his gaze on Seungcheol who’s staring at the ground.

“Damn. I didn’t expect that.”


	3. The Handsome Angel

Seokmin runs in the hallways, jumping around with his arms raised to avoid hitting others on their faces.

He just heard of something so incredible, and he knows Jeonghan is going to enjoy it and take his time to relish in the fact that the person he likes, Hong Jisoo, also likes him back.

“Jeonghan hyung!” Seokmin moves his hands in the air. Jeonghan ducks his head low, hiding it in his arms a second after because really, Seokmin can be very embarrassing. Some students are looking at his direction and this makes him lose his appetite.

“I have news for you,” Seokmin grins at him. “And you’re going to love it!”

“What is it now? Stop it! You’re embarrassing.” Jeonghan hits him on the arm. Seokmin swats it away then looks around, in case Jisoo is somewhere out there. 

“Do not and I mean never, freak out, when I tell you that Hong Jisoo said he likes you and he already did before you even liked him.”

Jeonghan doesn’t get what he said for a few minutes but then his eyes widen and he coughs out the banana milk he’s enjoying. He hits his chest and does hand gestures to Seokmin who copies him and he doesn’t understand at all.

“He what?!”

“He likes you! I heard it with my own ears!”

“You have got to be kidding me, Seokmin. Or I’m going to kill you and—“

Jeonghan drops the fork on the table. Jisoo goes inside the cafeteria, his friends behind him, and every person who likes him squeals. The former hisses and hides himself with his hoodie that Seokmin only laughs at him and claps.

“This is so fun to watch.”

Jisoo, on the other hand, looks at Seokmin from the corner of his eye. He knows he’s Jeonghan’s cousin and he didn’t mean to reveal his secret that he likes Jeonghan, with Seokmin hearing him. His friends pushed him! That what he knows.

That’s what he wants to believe in until Seokmin passed by the same time he shouted he likes Jeonghan.

“Hyung, should we go?”

Jisoo’s reason for going in the cafeteria is to see Jeonghan even just for a bit.

Seokmin’s ruining everything.

Should he befriend him and get a chance with Jeonghan?

—

Jisoo is the type to be all out when he likes someone, so when the news of him liking Jeonghan just spread like wildfire in campus, he knows he has to take his lead. His crush can be very confident with his looks but in general he’s a shy person. Jisoo finds him cute like that.

He only had one class for today so he exits campus to look for something he can secretly put in Jeonghan’s bag. Not really, just something he can give him so that very slowly he’s to telling that he’s serious with his attraction.

Jisoo enters a flower shop and sees a couple with very striking features. They smile and welcome him in their shop, showing him the most recent bouquets and designs they made.

“I just want a single rose?” 

He doesn’t know anything about Jeonghan.

“While you wait you can check the other flowers. Their names and meaning are written on a small sheet of paper beside them.”

“Thank you.” Jisoo bows.

The shop is quite big, and flowers are placed neatly on glass vases while some are suspended in the air. On a corner there are two males arranging bouquets and making flowers crowns. 

Everyone has very sharp eyes.

“Here you go!” The man presents to him the reddest rose that has its petals spread out prettily. Jisoo smiles. He feels like he’s looking at Jeonghan right now.

“I’ll take it.”

—

“Ooh Jeonghanie hyung,” Seokmin bumps shoulders with him. He rolls his eyes, doubling his steps because he doesn’t want to be with his cousin right now. Most of the time Seokmin gives him pure embarrassment and now that everyone knows about the crush thing with Jisoo, he’s all over the place. “Aw, hyung you’re so mean to me. I’m not doing anything!”

“Yeah you are, you’re putting attention on me!”

When he goes in the auditorium everything quiets down and they look at Jeonghan.

He gulps down hard.

Getting to his seat he hides the shock upon seeing a rose on his chair. He takes it with shaky hands and looks around it—for a small note or anything he can find—and finds nothing.

“Wow. Is that from Jisoo?”

When Jeonghan takes his seat and rests the rose on the table, all the students in the classroom erupt in loud cheers. They coo at Jeonghan and his eyes widen, an awkward smile on his face and he feels stiff.

The professor walks in.

“I see Mr. Yoon already is dating someone?” They coo more. “Probably your girlfriend?”

Seokmin has to butt in, naturally. “Or boyfriend!”

“Yah!”

Everyone laughs and claps hard.

—

Jeonghan paces around his apartment while combing his too tangled hair. He’s been hissing like a cat and he doesn’t know why. He’s really not nervous, right?

Of course he is.

After receiving more than a hundred flowers from Jisoo, the guy finally decided to show himself properly to Jeonghan, then what do you know, he asks him out on a date.

“Hyung, please calm down. This is your chance to make Jisoo realize that he’s not wrong choosing you!”

“I don’t know what to do!” He stares wide-eyed at Seokmin. He looks at himself in front of the mirror, suddenly feeling lost with his appearance. “I don’t even know what to wear.”

“I’m glad you asked!” With a snap of his fingers, Seokmin runs inside the older’s bedroom. Jeonghan tries taming his hair but it’s not listening to him and he feels like crying. “I knew I was going to witness this somehow so I prepared your—ta-dah!”

Jeonghan’s too lucky to have him as his cousin.

Seokmin never knew he had it in him; basic knowledge when it comes to makeup. Maybe it’s because of Minghao’s addiction to eyeliner and fashion he got attracted, but even so, Jeonghan needs a bit of shine on his face to make him much more handsome.

“Good luck!” Seokmin gives him a thumbs up. “Don’t do something stupid, hyung!”

The whole dating thing is stupid itself.

—

To sum everything up, everyone knows their relationship status as Jisoo shows up in sunglasses, with an Audi, and then a bouquet of red roses in his hands. Guys are looking at him in amusement while girls are expressing their disappointment that their ultimate crush is betting on the same team. More so, it’s Jeonghan’s team and he can beat all girls when it comes to looks.

Seokmin just casually walks in the classroom when he does a double take, popping his head out and sees Jisoo walking his way. He already formed a small crowd. He’s wearing a button-down, striped, maroon dress shirt and ripped navy blue jeans.

“Woah,” Jisoo stops in front of him and he gives him the head to toe look. “Looking good, hyung!”

“Have you seen Jeonghan?”

The crowd coos.

“Yeah, I was just with him a while ago. He’s in that classroom.” Seokmin points at the end of the hallway. As Jisoo excuses himself and the crowd, Seokmin does a small dance with a huge grin on his face. He’s really happy for his cousin and hopes this will be his greatest love story forever.


	4. Hello

Soonyoung wakes up extra early the next day, jumping off his too big bed that feels empty most of the time. He goes straight inside the kitchen and doesn’t even bother turning some lights because he has to be secretive today.

The clock barely reads 6am when he hops on a stool and opens the cupboards to look for something he can eat.

His father, Seungcheol, had a bad day at work and in general the day before and he thought of preparing him breakfast to lighten up his mood. He doesn’t know how to cook (mainly because Seungcheol doesn’t also so he can’t teach the kid) but he needs to try. Even an apple will make the older happy if he knows Soonyoung prepared it.

The 8-year-old is busy munching on his cereal while opening the Tupperware containing wheat breads. He takes two of them, spreading on peanut butter generously and neatly placing it on a small white plate. He peels a banana off the bunch and sets it beside the plate, across where his bowl of cereal is, then pours milk on Seungcheol’s black mug that usually has strong coffee in it.

Soonyoung isn’t fond of coffee and it only brings bad memories to him. He hopes his dad stops drinking it as it’s also bad for his health, he figures.

He settles on his chair in time Seungcheol opens the bedroom door, hair sticking out in different directions and his eyes still closed. Soonyoung watches him turn the TV on and the house fills in with voices of morning news reporters.

He decides to break the silence.

“Appa, good morning!”

Seungcheol almost falls over the sofa and whips his head back at Soonyoung. It’s too early for him to be grinning like the rising sun, but with pieces of cereal between his bunny teeth.

“Good morning...?” He stands straight. “Why are you awake so early? Your classes begin at 8—oh.”

“I made you breakfast!”

The boy thinks he made the best plating out there but all his dad sees is sandwhich not fitting in the plate, some spilled milk by the side and is that a worm on the banana? It’s not, just some bubble of milk.

He loves it to the end of the world.

“Is this for me?” Seungcheol can’t help the smile on his face as he takes a seat in front of Soonyoung. He nods enthusiastically, and the older eats in silence but with a racing heart. “Good morning to you too, buddy.”

How can he deserve such a great son?

He’s almost proud of him when he eyes his black mug thinking coffee is in it. Since when did Soonyoung learn his dad’s coffee and water ratio? He does it without Soonyoung seeing so he doesn’t feel antsy.

But when Seungcheol takes a sip he almost chokes because it tastes thick.

“Appa, you have a milk mustache on.”

Soonyoung giggles while pointing on his own upper lip.

—

“As per usual, you wait for me here after class, okay? Appa is not going to be late this time.” Seungcheol ruffles his hair.

It’s been a full week with him pulling over the school late, sometimes he sees Soonyoung by himself or with three kids here and there as they also wait for their parents.

“Promise?”

“Of course!” He gives him a peck on the cheek. Soonyoung grins. “It’s just that I have to go to work and my boss doesn’t let me go home until he says so.”

“Isn’t he being mean?”

_Yes, he is_. “No he’s not. I have to go okay? Wait for me later!”

“Okay! Bye appa!”

Soonyoung runs toward the building with a teacher waiting for him at the entrance. Seungcheol bows in exchange then hops in his car, when he sees another parent put their son down and what do you know. It’s the blind man.

He doesn’t turn the engine and waits.

“Appa, can you get home by yourself?”

Jeonghan smiles slightly and almost slips as he squishes Jihoon’s face.

“Yep. I memorized the way back when you guided me on the way here.”

“Shouldn’t we call Chan hyung so you can go home safely?”

What a nice kid, is what Seungcheol thinks as he leans on the car door andopenly stares at them.

“I’ll be fine, baby. Don’t you worry. Oh! The bell rang!” Jeonghan stands. Jihoon eyes him as he takes few small steps back, ready to run for it as his teacher calls for his name by the entrance. “Wait for me or Chan hyung later okay?”

“Okay! Bye appa! Take care!”

“Bye!”

When Jihoon leaves, Jeonghan sighs and tries looking around. It’s always Chan or the very nice grandma who drops Jihoon off so he doesn’t quite know the place. He’s growing anxious, he knows, and he also thinks someone is with him when he bumps on something hard and he hisses.

“Are you okay?” Seungcheol exits the car and looks at the other’s leg. 

Jeonghan’s eyes stop moving then he quickly straightens his spine, moving backwards to avoid any possible dangers. Seungcheol walks forwards instead.

“I’m fine, I just didn’t—“

“Watch out!“ 

Seungcheol sighs, placing a hand on his eyes when the blind man falls on a pile of snow. Jeonghan gasps, trying to stand but he loses his balance and his foot gets stuck in. He feels so embarrassed and the warmth is spreading on his face.

“Wow.”

“Now are you okay?”

He feels a warm hand press on his and pull him up from the snow.

“I’m okay now. Thank you.”

Jeonghan quickly turns on his heel and walks to wherever his feet might take him, which is probably the worst thing he has ever done his whole 35 years of existence. Seungcheol doesn’t know what to do, should he call after him or walk with him because he’s blind, and he looks unsure of where he’s going as he stops and turns back around.

“Um,” It’s already embarrassing to tell his son he knows his way back, more so hitting his leg on a car and falling on the snow. Now he’s asking a total stranger who might be a potential serial killer if he knows where the both of them are. “Do you have a kid going to this school?”

“Uh yeah. I think your son knows him. Soonyoung?”

Jeonghan’s mouth opens a bit. He walks back to Seungcheol’s direction and stops a few steps away from him, looking far ahead.

He feels like trusting him. His son trusts this person’s son so it’s okay, right?

“Can I help you on the way back?”

“If it’s okay with you, then I’ll be very glad.”

—

Seungcheol pulls up on the driveway and exits his car, going around it so he can assist Jeonghan out of the vehicle.

“You didn’t have to, but thank you.”

“No biggie.”

They both face a house that looks like it can fit dozens of people in and Seungcheol gapes. His house can’t even compare to this one, it’s not even half of it! He turns to the other fishing out his keys and casually striding toward the gate.

“Jeonghan!”

Said guy turns his head to the sound, “Oh good morning.”

“Where did you go?”

“I dropped Jihoon off to school. Do you need help with something?”

The grandma looks over Seungcheol awkwardly standing near his car.

“Don’t kid me.” Jeonghan laughs. “I was looking for Jihoon to drop him off but saw your gate’s locked.”

“Ah, you didn’t need to. I’ll be dropping him off school from now on.”

“But how did you come back home?”

Seungcheol moves around. He feels like helping the man open the locks because he’s busy talking to the old woman and trying to insert the key. Then there’s also his rudeness for not introducing himself and helping Jeonghan when the keys fall.

“Oops.”

“I’ll get them.”

The grandma looks at Seungcheol.

“Thank you.”

He opens the gate with ease and widely, telling Jeonghan he can step in. The man smiles to no one in particular and looks up.

“May I know who this person is? Is he your boyfriend?”

Seungcheol’s eyes widen. He opens and closes his mouth like a fish with his hands moving about in front of him. Jeonghan, on the other hand, just puts a hand over his chest and doubles in laughter.

“Grandma, he’s just an acquaintance of mine. His son also goes to the same school as Jihoon and they’re classmates, too.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

Jeonghan’s eyebrows meet at the middle.

“I’m sorry but I didn’t get your name?”

“Seungcheol.”

“Jeonghan.” He reaches a hand out and feels the same warmth shaking it.

“Well, I’ll be in my house if you ever need anything, Han.”

“Thank you.”

The grandma smiles at Seungcheol. “It’s nice meeting you.”

“Likewise. And I’m almost late for work so I have to get going.”

Jeonghan gasps.

“I’m sorry for bothering!”

Seungcheol waves his hands. “It’s nothing. Better than losing track of where you’re going, right?”

_Was that a joke?_

“I have to go.”

“Thank you.” Jeonghan already lost count of his thank you’s and that’s a record for him.

“Welcome!”

Jeonghan hears the sound of the engine, the tires screeching before everything goes quiet again. The same silence in the neighborhood surrounds him and the smile falls down like it wasn’t there in the first place. With a long sigh he holds the the front door and chuckles.

“Boyfriend?” He shoves it open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

•

“Hyung!” Soonyoung turns around with a grin on his face as Seungkwan runs for him. He has a huge lunch box in his hands and some candies also fall from his pockets. “Let’s eat together!”

“I have my own lunch though?”

“It’s okay! Wonwoo appa said I should share with my friends!”

They both sit under the tree and gape at their own lunches. Soonyoung’s expecting the usual; eggs and mini hotdogs on the side but this time he sees a feast. When he glances at Seungkwan’s his eyes go wider than the usual shock on his face.

“Wow.”

“I know, right? Mingyu appa always does it before he goes to work.”

“My appa too! Though he does it quickly so he won’t be late.”

They stay silent for a while while poking each other’s chopsticks in the other’s lunch box. 

“Jihoonie!”

“Hey! Over here!”

The boy pretends he doesn’t hear them and goes to his usual spot in the playground. He opens his lunch box—with the help of Chan cooking some basic food—and thanks no one in particular for it.

His bullies aren’t having it though, sitting on his table and smiling at him.

“That looks delicious, Jihoonie! Can we have some?”

Soonyoung frowns.

“What is that?”

“Shouldn’t we go over there?”

“Leave me alone.” Jihoon slaps the hand away from his food. Minhyuk, the supposed leader of the group, yells and forecefully takes the luch box from his hands. “Hey! That’s mine!”

Seungkwan puts his lunch down in haste and points at Jihoon. He’s bouncing on his bum. “Hyung! They’re trying to attack him!”

“Let’s go, Seungkwan.”

“Get off me!” Jihoon struggles to take his lunch back as Minhyuk devours it. His face is already twisting in all sorts of emotions and he doesn’t like the feeling. With a push of his elbow the boys behind are sent flying back and he tackles Minhyuk.

His lunch box already upside down the grass.

“What the—Now you get off me!”

Soonyoung and Seungkwan stop by the sides and looks around in panic.

“What should we do?!”

“I don’t know!”

Should he try using his taekwondo skills? But what if he hurts someone badly? He doesn’t want to put his hobbies into bad use and they are still his classmates and friends—if he can still call them that. He looks at Jihoon straddling Minhyuk and pulling on his hair then the other boys slowly coming up to his back.

“Stop!” Seungkwan gives a high kick he doesn’t know he’s capable of. Soonyoung dashes for it, pulling them by the shirts to avoid having them hit Jihoon and Seungkwan. He’s also getting some pulling of his hair, his scalp burning.

“Don’t touch them!”

“What are you gonna do, Jihoonie?” Minhyuk is holding on his forehead while the smaller moves his fists about. “If you only gave me your food, you know?”

Jihoon then stops squirming, looking down at the lunch box his Chan hyung made even though he was almost late for school. He feels the tears prickling his eyes and he wipes his face roughly. No, he’s not going to cry, especially not in front of the bullies because they don’t deserve it.

Soonyoung never looked so mad as he leans on his elbows on the grass. Some students already formed a crowd, curiously looking at them, ripped shirts and unstyled hair.

“What is going on here?!”

Their teacher gasps and points at them one by one, then gestures for Seungkwan and Soonyoung to stand.

Seungkwan doesn’t stop though, and he sends another flying kick to Minhyuk’s back.

—

“Seungkwan?” Wonwoo shoves the door open and frantically looks for his son, while Mingyu calmly walks in but has a sour face on. Seungcheol, on the other hand, runs for Soonyoung and envelops him in a hug, kissing his forehead and checking at the clothes he’s wearing.

“What happened?!”

“Jihoon was being—“

“Jihoon?!”

Jeonghan follows after, his lips quivering and Chan assists him toward the boy sitting quietly at the corner. He doesn’t say anything more but only sobs and takes his child in his arms.

“Appa,”

“Are you okay? Did they touch you—oh, baby why do your clothes feel torn apart—why?”

Seungcheol takes Soonyoung’s hand who gestures for him to walk to the pitiful family, Seungkwan following suit and holding on Seungcheol’s other hand. Chan is sitting beside Jihoon cross-legged, hands massaging his temples as he tries to remember what the kids look like.

When he exited his high school he knew Jihoon’s already dismissed for the day, so when he picked Jeonghan up so they could go to the school together he didn’t expect a phone call from the principal asking them to come to his office immediately.

Because the kids, Jihoon included, just made a scene in front of everybody else and now were being sent to the office.

Jeonghan never felt so scared when Chan told him his son got into a fight. No matter how hard it was, he walked quite fast and almost tripped on the way.

“Um, uncle Jeonghan?”

Said man whips his head at the sound.

“We’re very sorry for—It’s just that they’re hitting Jihoon and taking his lunch so—“

“Hey, quit talking!”

“Jihoon,” Chan hisses at him. “Don’t interrupt someone when they’re talking.”

Wonwoo looks over his uniform, noticing he goes to a high school. He doesn’t resemble any of Jeonghan’s or Jihoon’s face. Could they still be siblings? Or a cousin?

The principal goes in his office and looks at all the people staring back at him. He gestures for everyone to sit on the sofa, Seungcheol assisting Jeonghan who gives him a smile and a quiet thank you.

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, I know everyone is in shock, even I, myself, because I never expected your kids to do something so rash.”

The parents look at each other the same time the kids do.

“Since the case is a bit heavy and I think some students are still in shock, I’m sorry to say but your kids will have two weeks of suspensio—“

“Excuse me, did I hear you right?”

Mingyu smiles at Seungkwan who grins at him back. 

How can his family act like this? Wonwoo rolls his eyes then cocks one of his eyebrows, staring at the principal as he waits for his answer.

“It’s the minimum duration of a suspension, Mr. Jeon, and considering that Seungkwan sent a kick two times to the other kids—”

“But he’s not the one in the wrong, no?” Jeonghan looks down. Whenever he gets anxious he fiddles on his fingers but Jihoon’s hand is in his, so he uses it as a stress reliever. “I’m not going to allow my kid to get the suspension when he’s just helping a friend, sir. He’s being bullied for god’s sake!”

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu holds him back.

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Jeon, but they also did something and rules are rules. They’re not the only kids I gave suspension but the other five as well. In a month. So if you’re still going to complain I suggest a month-long suspension too?”

Everyone goes silent for a while. Seungcheol has nothing to say to be honest, he doesn’t even know how to butt in with these conversations and the principal has a point. He never wants Soonyoung to involve himself in a fight in fear of him being victimized and growing up liking violence.

Even though he did help Jihoon, he hopes he looked for other ways and resorted lastly to fighting back.

“I think it’s okay,” Jeonghan finally speaks up. He stares at the wall, the principal waits for his next words but he only smiles. With that, he sighs and stands, followed by the others but still with a fuming Wonwoo.

“I’ll leave all of you to talk through it then you may leave my office.”

When the pricipal takes his leave, Wonwoo combs his hair back and sighs. Mingyu talks him out of what happened, assuring that there’ll be nothing wrong with their son’s record and his overall absence in the next two weeks.

“You know what, this deserves a reward for the boys!”

“Excuse me?” Wonwoo gives Mingyu a nudge. “What did you just say?”

“What? They helped Jihoon and that’s a very heroic act, you know!” Jeonghan smiles from the corner. “I don’t want my kids growing up not being able to defend themselves—ow!”

Seungcheol decides kicking Mingyu by the shin because he’s being insensitive at this point. Wonwoo thanks him silently, smirking at his husband in a mocking way who pouts back at him. Now, they just have to get by their homes and let the boys rest, leaving the matter in the back of their heads.

Seungcheol doesn’t want to admit it but the bullies deserved what happened.

“Uncle Jeonghan,” Soonyoung pulls on Seungkwan’s arm and they both grin. “I’m Soonyoung!”

“And I’m Seungkwan! We’re Jihoon’s friends!”

Jeonghan crouches down in front of them and finds his hands on their faces, pinching on their very plump cheeks. He chuckles and ruffles their hair afterwards.

“Thank you for being his friend, Soonyoungie and Seungkwanie.”

When he stands back up and both kids approach Jihoon by the sides, Jeonghan finally feels at peace. White noise and several voices enter his ears, appreciating all sounds because they sound soothing. He only realizes how deep Wonwoo’s voice is, Mingyu sounding a bit nasal and stumbling on his words with a minimal lisp, then Seungcheol with his well modulated voice and funny laugh.

“Jeonghan!” He feels a warm hand on his forearm. “Guys, this is Jeonghan. Wonwoo, Jeonghan. Mingyu, Jeonghan.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” He takes a cold hand this time. “I’m sorry about Jihoon, but at least nothing worse happened to them.”

“It’s fine now. He sounds happy, though.”

The three parents look behind Jeonghan to see their kids laughing at something and surprisingly, Jihoon has the loudest laugh from the three.

“If I’m not being rude, can I invite all of you for a lunch at my place? Tomorrow?”

Chan looks over Seungcheol who’s sporting a warm smile directed at his hyung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Profile (Age)
> 
> Seungcheol: 35 - 27 (married + kids*)
> 
> Jeonghan: 35 - 27*
> 
> Mingyu: 33 - 27*
> 
> Wonwoo: 34 - 28*
> 
> Jisoo: 35
> 
> Minghao: 33
> 
> Junhui: 34
> 
> Seokmin: 33
> 
> Chan: 20
> 
> Jihoon: 8
> 
> Soonyoung: 8
> 
> Seungkwan: 6
> 
> Hansol: 1


	5. New Faces

“Wow.”

“Double wow.”

“Triple wow!”

“Wow!” Soonyoung tugs on Seungcheol’s dress shirt and points at the house—no, it’s actually Jeonghan’s mansion. “Appa look! Uncle Jeonghan’s house is so big!”

“Yeah,” And he still can’t get over it even though he’s seen it yesterday. The front door opens and Jeonghan smiles at their direction, holding on Jihoon’s hand. In no time the little boy opens the gate while his father waits for him to hold his hand again and the visitors step in.

“You have such a nice home, Jeonghan.” Wonwoo’s eyes twinkle. “It looks really cozy in here.”

“Thanks. Come in!”

He moves to the side and welcomes them in. Seungcheol goes into shock mode, much more than what he saw from outside. Everything just looks sophisticated as the cream walls and brown furniture compliment each other. From the front door they see the living room with a humongous flat screen TV mounted on the wall, the longest sofa Seungcheol has ever seen, then a spread out furry white rug underneath a glass coffee table.

To their left is the entrance to the kitchen where an island is situated at the middle. Numerous high stools in soft brown and tiled counters, cupboards, compartments, and a pile of sweets and snacks at the corner.

“Those look yummy, appa.”

“I know.”

Wonwoo elbows Mingyu on his stomach.

Jeonghan laughs and motions for them to go deeper in his house.

“Do you guys want a tour around?”

“It’s oka—“

“Yes, please!”

“Kim Mingyu.”

“What?”

“I’m glad.” Jihoon, as if automatically, takes his father’s hand and they ascend the stairs. Soonyoung is still looking around as they go up and almost trips on the way but Seungcheol is there to hold him. They stop by the very last step and sees another living room.

“Now a gaming console. Just wow.”

“Jihoon you play all these?”

He nods at Seungkwan.

“Cool!”

“That is Jihoon’s room.“

Soonyoung whispers to Jihoon. “Can we go in there?”

“Um,”

“We can?”

If only the blind man can see their spakrly and big eyes he might go crazy at the cuteness.

“Yeah, if you want to?”

“Jihoon let’s go!” They pull on the small boy and jump up and down as they wait for him to open the brown door. Mingyu shakes his head then they follow Jeonghan to the other side, going inside rooms where numerous instruments are leaning nicely on the wall.

“This is the music room, if I’m not mistaken that is if I didn’t lose my direction. But anyway, yeah,” He claps his hands. “My husband owned all of them and they haven’t been touched ever since.”

There is an awkward silence between the three who look at each other. Jeonghan doesn’t notice himself he said something about Jisoo, and they don’t press on it further as they already know what happened.

“And this is my room.” They only face a door that has a different color than anything else. Just like the walls, it camouflages like it’s not there at all. The only thing that makes it visible is the golden knob. “Should we go to the garden?”

“Wonwoo, they have a garden!”

—

“Jeonghan?”

“Ah, good morning!” Jeonghan stands and the three follow, staring at the grandmother who welcomes herself in the house. She bows and they do the same, and they sit back down while the owner and she busy themselves with more talking.

Seungcheol excuses himself with the reason he’s going to check on the kids and ask them how they’ve been behaving so far. As he re-enters the house by himself, he stops and looks at the frames hanging on the walls and placed on a cabinet positioned near the entrance; the typical place, wherein you put keys and all other stuff but nothing is in there except for more pictures.

Wonwoo must have felt he also wanted to take another tour around as his husband, Jeonghan, and the grandmother all immerse themselves with cooking. And he stands beside Seungcheol, eyes squinting to get a better view of the faces because he forgot his glasses again.

“That must be Jisoo, huh?”

Wonwoo’s eyes widen. “Wait, I know that guy.”

“Really?”

“Him again.”

Wonwoo stopped arranging the flowers and turned his head around. Bohyuk, his younger brother, stood up with a long sigh before approaching Jisoo by the door, giving him his biggest fake smile.

He hates this job. Of all jobs out there, it has to be him doing girly stuff.

Wonwoo shook his head.

“I’m guessing the most beautiful rose?”

Jisoo smiled widely. He shook his head and naturally put a hand around the boy’s shoulder, leading him into the flower shop deeply like he owned the place. Wonwoo was looking at them in amusement with his hands busy making more flower crowns.

Hong Jisoo was the only person who ever went back to their shop for the second time, and this was his thousandth time already.

“You know, I’ve been giving my boyfriend—“ A raise of an eyebrow. “—roses for months now but I just knew he actually doesn’t like roses.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” He turned Bohyuk around to face him. “He loves tulips a whole lot.”

Wonwoo, by now, was standing beside his taller brother staring at Jisoo.

“Do you want us to wrap them up with the most expensive and beautiful wrapper you’ll ever see?”

“Yes.”

“In your whole life?”

“Please!”

“He was very handsome, you know.” Wonwoo laughs. He looks around to see if Mingyu is behind him, suddenly nervous his husband might’ve heard him. He looks back at Seungcheol staring at the pictures. “It hurt me when I heard he was deeply in love with Jeonghan.”

“You liked him?”

“For a while. Yes,” Wonwoo shrugged. “But then I met Mingyu.”

“Hey guys! Hyung!” Mingyu makes his way in between them. Suddenly, the calm expression on Wonwoo’s face hardens and he gives his husband a shove. “Ow!”

“Stop butting in other people’s business, Kim Mingyu!”

“I’m sorry? Anyway!” He claps his hands. “Food’s ready. Should I call on the kids?”

Seungcheol and Wonwoo go back to the yard while Mingyu ascends the stairs. He doesn’t directly go to the host’s child’s room, rather stares at the golden knob like he wants to rip it apart.

Mingyu is that person who gets curious on every little thing, and he wants to know what happened to Jeonghan for him to become like this. He knows he wasn’t blind before, courtesy to the frames put up everywhere in the house and a house too big as if this is just not for someone like him.

He hears Wonwoo call his name.

Opening the music room again, he eyes all the guitars either leaning on the wall or put up like the picture frames from outside. He didn’t have the time to observe everything a while ago and now it’s his chance.

“This was Jisoo’s room?” His hand hovers over an electric guitar. “Nice.”

“Where the heck—“ Wonwoo combs his hair back again. “Mingyu!”

Seungcheol looks at Jeonghan with a frown. “I’m very sorry about them. They’re a very weird couple to me, too.”

“Mingyu and Wonwoo seem fun. Don’t worry about it.”

Seungcheol sets the plates down the same time the others go out of the house to join them in the garden. It is only then that Jeonghan’s visitors notice the small white puppy held by Jihoon. Seungkwan coos at it and looks at his parents.

“Can we please get a puppy?”

Wonwoo frowns. “Maybe when Hansol’s older?” Seungkwan nods at that, but his father shakes his head and says, “Wait, no. I’m sorry honey but your little brother’s allergic to dogs, remember?”

As they take their seats with Seungkwan trying to change both his parents’ decisions, Soonyoung turns toward Seungcheol with a small pout.

“Can I also have my own puppy?”

“Soonyoung—“

“You can have this if you want?” Jihoon pipes up. They turn their heads toward the little boy as Jeonghan serves everyone their share of food.

“Really?!”

“Our dog gave birth just a few weeks ago, so do you guys want a puppy?”

“You have a dog?” Mingyu looks around. “I don’t see one.”

“Oh no, it’s okay!” Both Wonwoo and Seungcheol nod their heads while their kids stare at them in disbelief.

“We just met like yesterday and now you’re giving us dogs?”

“Puppies,” Jeonghan shrugs. “And there are a lot of them. We can’t raise them all and I was planning to bring them to the animal center this week.”

“Appa, please?” Sooyoung shakes Seungcheol’s large body.

“Me too! Please!”

“Uncle Wonwoo,” Said male looks at Jihoon, “Uncle Mingyu and Uncle Seungcheol, can they please have our puppies?”

Who can say no to him? Definitely not them because Jeonghan is also giving them puppy eyes that he’s not aware of. Seungcheol is okay with having one to take care of but he has work, and Soonyoung goes to school in half the day so who’s going to look after it?

“Appa!”

Mingyu frowns and puts a hand on the older’s shoulder.

“Hyung, you okay?”

Seungcheol stares at him.

He doesn’t even know why he’s internally panicking. Maybe because they once had a dog and when his wife left she took it with her with the defense that she was the one who bought it, no matter how much Soonyoung cried that he passed out after he watched her walk out of the door—

“Seungcheol!”

—and how could he forgot about what happened? It was that specific memory that Soonyoung forgot, like it never happened, and now he’s asking for a puppy and Seungcheol is scared he will remember.

“I’m sorry, I just spaced out.” He laughs awkwardly. Wonwoo slightly smiles and distracts the kids from the atmosphere. Jeonghan sits beside him and Seungcheol sighs, suddenly feeling tired.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a bit out of it?” The blind man hums. “But can we really get a puppy?”


	6. China

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now present: a bit of Junhao

Junhui stares outside the window while the car is speeding through the road. His head is hurting, like really hurting, but his driver doesn’t get the hint as he zooms pass everyone else.

Minghao is fiddling with the small screen on the dock.

He can’t believe he’s stuck with his narcissistic boss, of all people he’s supposed to drive today.

“Can you please fucking slow down?”

“So nice of you to be considerate with your words while saying ‘fuck you.’”

“I didn’t even—“ Junhui drags his hands down his face.

#

Mingyu browses through the drafts Seungcheol’s secretary passed to him. It’s his job to _correct_ corrections if there’s any, kind of like working in tandem with the secretary most of the time before they give the papers to Seungcheol.

Seungcheol is a position superior to him and directly under the CEO.

Jooheon passes by his cubicle, then comes back to inform him he has a call from line 2.

“‘Sup—“

“Yeah, well, fuck you!”

Mingyu looks at the phone weirdly. He presses it on his ear again and more profanities register, going out of the other, just that happening for a whole minute straight before Minghao finally talks to him.

“Hey, I’m very sorry about that—“

“Who even gave you the right to use my fucking car to call your friend?!”

“What the hell?”

Seungcheol passes by.

“Is there a problem?”

“Oh it’s nothing, hyu—I mean sunbae.” He grins. The older goes back to his office and Mingyu hisses on the phone. “It was nice hearing from you again, Hao.”

Minghao flips him a finger through the rear view mirror.

Junhui rolls his eyes.

“Why am I stuck with you?”

“Mingyu! It’s been a long time!”

He steps on the gas pedal, sending his boss flying toward the other side of the backseat. He hits his head on the window which doubles the headache he’s feeling and he curses yet again. Minghao smirks. It always makes him happy to hear him in pain.

“How are you?”

“I’m good! Everything’s good.”

“How about Seungkwan? Wonwoo hyung? Yah, I heard you have a new baby!”

Junhui rolls his eyes again.

“Wonwoo wanted to have another child.”

“I’m happy for the both of you.”

“Thanks, Hao.”

“What’s his name?”

“Hanso—“

“Hey! Hey! I’m sorry to break your mood,” Minghao almost hits the lamppost because Junhui’s leaning too much on his arm. “But I’m late for my meeting, peasant.”

“That’s why I’m speeding up the car, you moron, and you tell me to fucking slow down then what the hell do you really fucking want?!”

Mingyu doesn’t know how he became friends with Minghao (or Myungho, Korean name) when his mouth is as dirty as everything he’s allergic of. It’s also weird, how he talks to his boss like that when the Chinese male told him a few months ago that he got a job as a driver of a famous Chinese businessman and he calls him suddenly while having a fight.

He listens to the two bickering when Jooheon passes by his cubicle again and sighs.

“Line 1.”

“Gotcha.”

Even though Minghao isn’t listening to him, he tells him that Wonwoo is calling and hangs up. He’ll call again if he needs anything.

“Hey, honey. What’s up?”

“Hey, Mingyu. Listen, I need to go to this wedding later on to arrange the flowers since I’m sponsoring all of them. It’s okay if you can’t since we have the van over, but can you drop me off?”

Wonwoo bows slightly to the customers entering the shop.

“Sure thing. I think I remember you telling me about that and I’ll be able to leave work to go to the shop.”

“Thank you.”

“Wait, what about the kids?” Wonwoo rolls his eyes. “Yah, Jeon Wonwoo! Who’s going to look after them at home? My mom—“

“You’re unbelievable. Relax, I asked Seungcheol if he could pick Seungkwan up and maybe take the kids out for a while or something.”

“Then Hanso—“

“Don’t worry your mom is dropping Hansol off to the shop while I’m still here since she has to leave early. I feel bad for leaving Seungkwan, though, but around that time Seungcheol will be here, too.”

“Okay.” Wonwoo helps his customers with their orders when Mingyu speaks again. “You never called Seungcheol hyung.”

“Huh? I did, just before I called you to tell him about our kids—“

“No, I mean you don’t call him hyung like I do.”

“So?”

“He’s older? And we’re around the same age—“

“Goodbye, Mingyu.”

“Wait!”

Mingyu sighs.

This time it’s not Jooheon who tells him line 2 is open again, but it’s Kihyun and he tells him to keep the calls down when they’re not related to work.

“And one more thing, tell your friends that their voices can be heard all over the tech room when we answer your calls for you.”

“What?” He raises the telephone to his ear but instantly leans away. “What the f—“

—

Seungcheol has been to Mingyu’s house before, his parents’ old house before he was supposed to get married. He hasn’t met Wonwoo then, he didn’t even get to go to the wedding and that’ll be another story.

Wonwoo suddenly called him while he was at work earlier that day asking if it was okay for him to pick Seungkwan and let the kid stay in his house with Soonyoung. He happily obliged, also proposing he’ll take them out for snacks if they wanted.

Now, he’s thinking how he’ll take care of Hansol too. He couldn’t say no to Wonwoo.

“Uncle Cheol!”

He smiles at Seungkwan and waves. Soonyoung runs toward the younger after jumping off the car. “Appa!” He yells from the door. “Is Seungkwan really going with us today?”

“Yes, and Hansol too.”

The younger gasps. “Even Hansol? But he and grandma went somewhere.”

“We’ll pick him up from your dad’s flower shop.” He takes the small bags leaning near the door, hoisting them on his back and holds their hands. “We better get going.”

“He helps both boys put their seatbelts as they sit in the backseat. Seungcheol isn’t familiar with Wonwoo’s flower shop, so he asks Seungkwan the location to which the boy tells him with ease. He drives while the kids play at the back talking about their classes.

“I kind of miss school.”

“Me too.”

Seungcheol looks at them from the rear mirror.

“Oh! I heard Jihoon and his dad are going to a park today!”

“Can we go there too? Uncle Cheol?”

“How did you know?”

“I heard uncle Mingyu talking about it yesterday. The both of you did! Don’t you remember?”

Now his son mentioned it, Mingyu went in his office yesterday during lunch break, talking about exchanging numbers with Jeonghan while Seungcheol’s talking to his son through the phone.

He hums. Seungcheol can finally see a sign in the color of rose quartz and serenity (Seungkwan described it that way) which reads Sunset Plot in white. He parks the car nearby and descends with Soonyoung on his right and Seungkwan on the other.

Wonwoo waves him over and opens the glass door with Hansol in his arms.

“Dad!”

“Hi there, Seungkwan. Did Ms. Kim leave the house early?” He smiles at Seungcheol and closes the door behind him.

“She did!”

“Thank you for looking out for the house, Kwanie.”

“You’re welcome, dad!”

“Thank you for looking after them, I owe you one.” Wonwoo passes Hansol to Seungcheol’s arms. “Mingyu and I will be back after a few hours. Before it gets dark.”

“You guys can take your time, don’t worry!”

It has been several years ever since Seungcheol knew what it felt like to hold someone so small in his arms like this. When Soonyoung was still a baby he was very light, he had fair skin, and his eyes were bigger. What made Seungcheol really attracted to his baby were his lips; they were formed in a curly shape at the ends and his wife liked to kiss them all the time.

Soonyoung loved kisses and he still does up until today.

“I only realized how handsome Hansol really is.”

“Thank you.”

“Can we go now?”

“Okay, okay. Let’s find Jihoon and uncle Jeonghan, hm?”

“Yay!”

“You guys seeing them somewhere?”

“Huh? Oh. Soonyoung mentioned they’d be around so I figured they can just play with each other.”

“That’s much better.” Wonwoo exhales.

After a few minutes, with Wonwoo reminding Seungkwan about the bag he already placed in Seungcheol’s car’s, the four leave the shop and travel for a few minutes. Soonyoung’s already sitted at the front while occasionally looking back to talk to Seungkwan, then Hansol in his baby seat.

#

Minghao has a few hours to spare as he waits for Junhui to finish his meetings and he leaves with his boss’ car in tow. He could visit Mingyu if only his bestfriend is around, but the latter decided to fetch his husband to attend a wedding.

But this is nicer, no Wen Junhui to annoy the fuck out of him because he can’t handle any more of his face. 

Of all people why him? Why his nemesis back in college and also his bully?

The world’s got to be insane!

But he doesn’t have any choice. This job Seokmin told him about pays him much more compared to his college course which was architecture, and even though he had a stable salary when he was in the firm he badly needed money. He was stupid enough to fly out of China and into a new world in Korea. Now Junhui is a successful businessman even though he’s a complete asshole to people but that’s not the point.

Minghao sighs, grip on the steering wheel tightening with every press on the gas pedal.

He hates his life so much.


	7. Perfume

“Jihoon! Please be careful!” Chan runs after the child whose face brightened up when he saw the huge playground at the center of the park. Jeonghan is facing their direction as he sits on a picnic table, reminiscing times when they would always come here and Jihoon wasn’t all that sad.

As he fiddles with his phone—it has become a habit—he listens intently to the rustling of leaves with the wind slightly howling, blowing his hair in different directions. The atmopshere was nicer than he expected and it was only past two in the afternoon.

*

“Yah, Hong Jisoo!”

His laugh resonates through the park as he and Jeonghan chase around.

From the basketball court not that far from the couple, Seokmin and Minghao look at them in a mix of disgust and happiness (they can’t quite put a finger on it) as they witness the famous back hug and spinning around the air kind of thing. The only difference is it’s between their gay friends.

“I’m getting too old for this shit.” Minghao sighs. Seokmin follows the ball dribbling away from his sight, then thinks of their other friend who promised them he’ll be arriving sooner or later. “Now where the fuck is Mingyu?!”

Jeonghan is breathless when Jisoo puts him down. He turns around, looping his arms around the younger’s neck and rests their foreheads together.

“I love you.”

His smile falls instantly.

“What?”

“I said I love yo—“

“I know but,  _ what _ ?”

Jisoo makes an amused face.

*

“I see them! I see them!” Soonyoung presses his face on the window. “Can we get out of the car now?”

“Just wait a bit more.” Seungcheol laughs. He pulls on the breaks and removes the child lock, watching the kids run on their small feet. Luckily Seungkwan’s strong for his age as he carries the baby bag with him, then there’s Chan waving them over as they settle beside Jeonghan.

Seungcheol takes their things and Hansol, and marches toward them with his focus mainly on Jeonghan who’s smiling at air while Soonyoung animatedly tells him about something. Beside him is the high school boy, Chan laughing while having Jihoon on his lap.

“That really happened at school? You must be a real superhero then!”

“Yeah! Even Jihoon was in it!”

“Oh?” The boy curls himself more in Chan’s arms but a smile was playing on his lips.

“Hey,” Seungcheol sets the bags down. Jeonghan follows the sound of his voice and gives a small bow. “The kids said you’ll be at the park so I figured maybe they can just play with Jihoon.”

“Hm? How did they know we’ll be here?”

The older can’t help but notice how pretty Jeonghan is. For a guy he really is.

“Mingyu told me.”

While the kids (minus Hansol) are playing with Chan at the swings—poor high school boy running back and forth just to give each of them a light push—the two single parents coo at Hansol and his doe eyes.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Jeonghan clears his throat. “I haven’t met your husband. Or wife. Not that I’m supposed to but Mingyu and Wonwoo—“

“Well,” Seungcheol shakes his head. “I’m a single parent.”

“Oh,” He doesn’t ask any more if it was a woman or not. “I am, too.”

Seungcheol really didn’t want to pry in his life since Wonwoo gave them the gist of what happened, but as Jeonghan suddenly started telling him his life story he couldn’t help but feel bad.

He stared at Jeonghan’s glistening eyes like the tragedy only happened yesterday. The way his bottom lip quivered slightly and the sharp intake of breath before he feels like giving in to his emotions and start crying in front of unknowing children.

Especially not in front of Jihoon.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Jeonghan laughs with a dismissive hand. “It was three years ago.”

But he doesn’t look like he’s already used to this life.

Seungcheol focuses on Hansol making small noises and already drooling on his shoulder, yelping slightly and Jeonghan laughs at him.

“We totally forgot about him.”

“Hey uh, can you help me clean him up? I think he vomited a bit.”

“Oh sure! But how?”

He carefully places him on Jeonghan’s lap, the former securing him tightly with his rather muscular arms—not that Seungcheol was checking him out he just noticed when Hansol was situated on his lap—and shaking his legs to not bore the baby.

Seungcheol clears his throat and searches something for the baby bag, retrieving a small towel and a baby bottle full of water. Jeonghan stays still as he lets the other wipe Hansol’s mouth while giving him soothing rubs.

“All done. Now his shirt—Wait,”

“Why?”

“Wonwoo didn’t pack them extra clothes.”

“Is there a lot?”

“Not really. Rather, it’s me who has a lot of it on my shoulder.”

“Do you have extra clothes, then?”

He looks at the direction of his car.

“No. I don’t usually bring some in my car and I’m still wearing my suit.”

Jeonghan suddenly wonders what he looks like.

“It’s not like I didn’t take care of my own baby before so this is nothing.”

Jeonghan snorts.

“Right.”

—

Jeonghan knows something’s messing up his brain ever since he met Seungcheol a week ago.

Said guy is busy fixing snacks on the wooden table while Jeonghan, well, he doesn’t know exactly why his heart is doing some somersaults right now.

He’s learned back in university how your other senses heighten when you lose one, and he’s sure his nose really picked up on that when now the air in the park is filled of a certain perfume smell.

That certain someone being Seungcheol.

He knows that all too familiar smell of Jisoo’s perfume. It was his favorite. He used it on special occasions after Jeonghan gave it to him during their first year as a couple.

He made sure to get rid of that smell after the accident, now his house only smells of the disinfectant Mrs. Han and Chan uses whenever they help him clean.

But now he’s suddenly sweating, and he doesn’t know why.

Seungcheol hasn’t noticed him yet as he’s laying out all the food then calls for the kids over.

“Jeonghan I want you to—“ His eyebrows raise slightly. “Are you okay?”

“I—“

His face is too pale and he’s sweating profusely, falling on the sides of his face and some of it on his nose. He’s moving his legs rapidly like when Hansol was sitting on them (who is being carried by Seungcheol now with a baby carrier strapped behind him). He’s looking down, shutting his eyes tight.

“Jeonghan?” He puts a hand on his shoulder. “Jeonghan!”

“Appa!” Jihoon grips his thighs.

Jeonghan’s head snaps up with his eyes blown wide. He doesn’t know he’s staring straight at Seungcheol who’s looking at him in shock.

“Chan!”

“Hyung!” He sits in front of Jeonghan.

“C—Can you please escort me to the nearest bathroom I—“ He bites his lips. “I need to use one.”

Seungcheol is quick to notice what’s happening but he’s certainly beyond surprised seeing Jeonghan act like that. No one is noticing anything weird, just panicking slightly while his own heart is beating too rapidly he feels it’s going to come out any soon.

Chan helps him stand but then he falls slightly behind. Seungcheol catches Jeonghan’s forearm and he notices how he gasps.

“L—Let go, please.”

“I’ll escort him. Can you show me where the toilets are?”

“Over there.” Chan points to the other side of the field. “Is hyung okay?”

“Yes, he’s just tired.”  _I think_ . He gives him a small smile and starts walking away .

Seungcheol looks around the area before going inside the bathroom, locking the door safely behind him while holding on Jeonghan’s waist. Said guy is leaning on him breathless.

Seungcheol gulps down hard and leads him to the mirror.

“Jeonghan, hey.” He takes his cheeks after he sits on the marble.  _What the fuck am I supposed to do?_

The blind man knows he’s going to regret every second of this and everything that will come out of his mouth but he can only imagine Jisoo’s face as the man in front of him cradles his face in his warm hands.

Slowly, his hands find their way to Seungcheol’s face and he presses his forehead to him.

Now Seungcheol’s the one squirming and trying to break free but Jeonghan suddenly felt too strong.

“Wait!”

“Jisoo,”

What?

He stays very still as Jeonghan’s mouth meets his neck—how three of his buttons have come undone he doesn’t know.

“Jisoo. Shit,”

“Jeonghan,” Seungcheol gasps. He slaps a hand on his mouth then holds the man’s head in place. “Jeonghan it’s me, Seungcheol.”

It’s like his mind has gone elsewhere as he takes his hands in his, guiding them south and Seungcheol tries to break free again.

“What the fuck!”

“Jisoo please!” Jeonghan cries out. “It’s—It’s too tight it fucking hurts touch me—“

“Wait, no!”

“Jisoo,” He breathes. That one has stopped midway when his cheeks blow up, Seungcheol finally breaking free and he takes the guy away from the marble. “Oh god.”

He watches as the blind man leans over the sink and lets go, like everything he has ate in all three years just leave his system and he sobs at the same time. Seungcheol frowns, holding his long hair in place at the same time rubbing soothing circles on his back.

What happened just a few seconds ago has been long forgotten, now the small room is only filled with Jeonghan’s heartbreaking cry and the constant call of a dead person’s name.

—

When Seungcheol pulls over the closed flower shop and enters it with all the children in tow, Wonwoo’s smile quickly falls off and he stares at his blank look.

“Oh my god, what happened to you?”

“These kids have too much energy.”

Wonwoo gives him a worried smile.

Seungkwan yawns and makes grabby hands at his dad, Wonwoo only having the chance to pat his head as he holds Hansol asleep in his arms. The boy leans on his thighs before circling his arms around them.

“Thank you for taking care of them while I was away.”

“It’s okay. Though tiring, it was fun.”

Seungcheol asks where Mingyu is but Wonwoo only sighs, guiding Seungkwan by the small white leather as he tells him he’s supposed to meet a friend.

“A college friend, he says. He never met them ever since we got married.”

The single parent and Soonyoung leave after a few minutes, their trip back home as quiet as it can be. Soonyoung is sound asleep at the back, head dangling sideways with his seatbelt on, while Seungcheol is too focused on the road.

After what happened inside the park’s restroom, he made sure Jeonghan was more than okay and helped him get cleaned before they went out. Chan was outside the door all that time, Seungcheol felt too horrified but he was lucky nothing happened. The high school boy didn’t see anything weird and guided Jeonghan back, telling him that maybe after the snack they should go home so he could rest.

Seungcheol doesn’t want and never would he like to remember what happened in those agonizingly slow five minutes. He pushed them as far as he could in the back of his head, finally releasing the breath he held in as they reached his house. He doesn’t bother waking Soonyoung and carries him on his back, then setting him down like feather and marches toward the living room.

•

Jeonghan opens his eyes as he lightly pats Jihoon’s shoulder, the both of them sitting in front of the TV but the latter is already in too deep his sleep. He sighs and almost thrashes his legs around but he stops, deciding to breath too deeply instead.

Of course he isn’t an idiot. But his actions from hours ago say otherwise because clearly, he’s an idiot.

He grunts and feels the flush on his face and it settles there for a while, remembering not did he just do idiotic things there—and his blindness for once giving justice to how ashamed he is and whatever his hands had done or his face—but the most idiot move would be the lustful sound he let out his throat because that clearly, his sense of hearing is the most heightened one out there.

Now the heat on his face triples and he feels he’s going to explode.

_I really am an idiot._

In a state of panic he wakes Jihoon and asks him to escort himself in his room, repeating apology after apology because the kid sounded really tired.

He then closes his bedroom door and falls on the floor, a sob making its way up his throat, then without anything else to do and think about he cries. He cries the whole evening, mumbling every single apology and Jisoo’s name all over again because in all the three years he was gone, he has never dirtied his lover’s name just like how he easily did it that afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn’t need a warning... right?


	8. Things Happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I turned 20 today, so as a gift here’s a(n actually delayed) new chapter! \o/

Seungcheol’s job (or the boss specifically) has required him to take every early morning and late night shift in line with the major project he discussed a week prior. Mingyu is in it, too. The same with Jooheon and Kihyun who are currently massaging their temples as they call out phone line numbers for the office workers to take.

Mingyu thanks Jooheon with an apologetic smile, the latter dismissing him off and saying it’s his job. Kihyun, however, hasn’t stopped mumbling under his breath.

“I don’t even understand why they need the tech to stay so late like this. It’s not like we get calls every single ti—“

He sighs and nods his head at the same time, hollering a random person’s name with a line number in tow.

“I miss my life.”

“Hyung, relaaaax!” Jooheon puts an arm around his shoulder. “Boss said it’ll all be over in a week. He promised that. And FYI we do get calls all the time because of the project. You’re not aware or you think it’s not the case since there are many tech calling out line—“

“I’m not interested.” Kihyun glares at him. “Stop talking to me. I have enough people ringing my ears already!”

They watch as he goes back to the tech room with a slam of the door. Jooheon sighs while Mingyu chuckles. He’s typing something in his laptop then switches with the monitor, doing the routine until his body aches from turning too much.

Seungcheol is in his office, his head dangling off to the side. In the middle of the changing season the weather has been nothing but crazy for them. Crazy enough to drain him out of his energy and this project. Three days into Soonyoung’s suspension the kid has done nothing but call him in work, and he’s not even complaining. In fact, he’s more than happy to excuse himself from every meeting he attends, telling the boss that his son always has needs that have to be met. His excuses are believable enough. Mingyu helps him with them.

His secretary pops her head in and with a stiff smile, Seungcheol stands and trudges his way to the door.

“He won’t believe me anymore, would he?”

“No, sir.” She raises her brows. “Though I’m not calling you for a sudden meeting. It’s lunch time.”

“Lunch... what?”

“Sir, it’s already 12:30.”

He looks at his wristwatch and hums.

“Join me for lunch?” He walks pass and calls Mingyu’s name. “Oh, invite everybody else who wants to join.”

“Yes, sir.”

—

Wonwoo’s phone call cuts off the chatter around the table, but when Mingyu takes it the voices continue where they left off. He excuses himself from the table to answer it somewhere quiet.

“Hello?”

“You’re going to be late again, aren’t you?”

“Hyung,” He sighs. “I’m sorry. I promise everything will settle out on Sunday.”

“I know. It’s just—“ He hears a distant cry and he frowns. “Seungkwan hasn’t stopped crying ever since Monday. I tried telling him it’s just going to take a while but he thinks you’re leaving him.”

“Wait, what? Wonwoo—“

“Seungkwan, do you want to talk to appa?”

“A-Appa? Appa!”

“Seungkwanie,” Mingyu smiles. “Appa is out for lunch with uncle Cheol. Why are you crying?”

“Appa I miss you!”

“I miss you too, buddy. But I need to work and you know that, right?”

Of course the kid doesn’t. He’s only 6 years old, he’s going to need a lot of things and be spoiled. With both Wonwoo and Mingyu’s jobs they won’t be able to spend time with him, now that the two-week suspension is still on going.

Just thinking of it makes Wonwoo’s blood boil.

While Seungkwan wails on the phone, Wonwoo runs up the stairs with a choked cry himself. There has been no problems after they adopted Hansol a year before, a mere baby that tugged at Wonwoo’s heartstrings and he knew he’s going to be part of the family. Maybe because he took a week off for Mingyu and their children’s sake that he finally realized it’s hard being a parent—with both their parents taking turns caring—but he didn’t expect it to be so hectic.

He comes down with Hansol in his arms and Seungkwan is still talking, no, yelling at the phone.

Mingyu’s back at the table with a worried Seungcheol beside him, mouthing what’s wrong but he only answers with a shake of his head.

“Hey, buddy I’m sorry but I have to go back to work now—Wait don’t cry! I promise I’ll see you tonight, okay? Yes yes we’ll all eat breakfast tomorrow together. I’ll go now. Seungkwa—Hey, Wonwoo.”

Seungcheol frowns.

Thinking about it Soonyoung has been alone for three days, locking himself securely inside the house with his Dance Revolution on all the time. His father apologized to him too many times when his boss called him Sunday night, talking about the project and anything else. Soonyoung was too understanding it made Seungcheol worry more.

“Appa I’m a grownup now! I can take care of the house by myself!”

“But—“

“Just go to work and everything will be fine.”

He even pats him on the shoulder and he exactly sounded like his mother at that time. Seungcheol can’t help the smile on his face before Mingyu grabs everyone’s attention, rubbing his temples and mumbling under his breath.

“Tough having a kid, huh?” Kihyun nods his chin at him. “Changkyun has been acting crazy since he knew he was going to stay at his grandparents for a whole week.”

“I remember that.” Jooheon frowns. “Poor kid passed out crying in your arms.”

“Well, who else can I blame but the bos—“

“SHHHH!”

•

Jeonghan puts the phone down after talking to his secretary. He looks to the side, taking in the sounds of Chan cooking in the kitchen and Jihoon playing by himself with his toy cars. He’s holding a Braille book reading the data from last month. The stocks have been going up and well. His employees have everything in their hands, most especially regarding the new perfume collection Jeonghan is planning to launch the next year.

He has a few months to settle everything.

He closes the book with a content smile and calls Jihoon’s name. The boy sits on the sofa and climbs on his father’s lap.

“Do you want to go somewhere today?”

“Where?”

“Wherever you want.”

Jihoon’s face lights up and he starts listing out every place he wants to go to.

“How about something fancier? I know! Why don’t we go to Lotte World!”

“Chan hyung! You’re coming too, right?!”

Chan slowly shakes his head.

“I’m sorry but I have a lot of studying to do. Also, my grandfather needs me at home. I’m sorry, Jihoon.”

“Are you sure, Chan? It’s just going to be the three of us.”

“I really can’t. Then,” Chan tilts his head to the side. “Is your secretary going to escort you today?”

“Yeah. I can’t imagine having no one to guide me in an amusement park.” Jeonghan laughs. “You better wash up and get ready, Jihoonie. The bumper cars aren’t going to wait the whole day.”

“Chan hyung help me!”

The first thing Jihoon does when they arrive inside is pull Jeonghan to a haunted house. His secretary is laughing behind him, Jeonghan unconsciously pouting at his direction. Jihoon is scared of ghosts, the problem is he forgets his dad is blind that he can’t be protected.

“Please stop laughing.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Hyunwoo stops laughing, though the lines around his eyes are still there. “I understand children can be very hyper once they see something they like.”

“He doesn’t even like haunted houses.” Jeonghan huffs. Yet Jihoon pulls him in after the staff makes sure he’s safe with his guardians, Hyunwoo stepping closer to actually protect both of them instead. “You’re in-charge here. All the more reason why you’re my secretary.”

“I didn’t even expect—oh my god!”

Jihoon screams after Hyunwoo. Jeonghan flinches as both his ears ring. The fake ghost laughs and hides behind the dark, then another jumps out and Jeonghan also screams.

—

Thursday night Seungcheol looks dead. Mingyu has himself locked in the coffee room avoiding any of Wonwoo’s calls. Fortunately Seungkwan has settled his anxiety over his dad, but Wonwoo has never stopped pestering him to do this and that when the man himself actually has more the time to do what he _wants_ _Mingyu_ to do. Hence, locking himself in the break room.

Jooheon would always pass by the room and knock, because everyone in the building also owns that room and Kihyun is in dire need of caffeine.

Said guy stomps toward the coffee room and bangs on the door as loudly as he can.

“Yah Kim Mingyu! Can you get out of there?! You can’t avoid your husband forever!”

“But he’s being mean!”

“What are you, five?!” Kinyun kicks the door. “Get out before I make you.”

Mingyu slowly opens the door and pouts at Kihyun, his glossy eyes making the older’s brow twitch before he’s pulled roughly away from the room.

“Get back to work,  _sir_ . I’ll block Wonwoo’s calls for you before I actually plan on murdering you.”

Jooheon quickly pulls Mingyu away from the seething Kihyun.

The giant goes to Seungcheol’s office instead.

“Hyung,” He whines. “I’m tired.”

“Same.”

“By the way,” Mingyu plops on the sofa. “I haven’t heard from Jeonghan hyung at all.” He doesn’t see his senior freezing on his chair. “It’s not like we’re close with him anyway. But the last time I talked to him was Saturday.”

“As you said,” Seungcheol clears his throat. “We’re not that close to him.”

“Still!”

“And he’s blind, okay? He won’t be able to message you whenever he wanted. He’d still have a hard time about it.”

“You’re right.”

“And he could be busy himself.”

Mingyu gives him a look.

“Why are you so agitated?”

“Because I’m tired!”

“Woah! You don’t need to be angry at me!” Mingyu stands from the sofa. “Whatever. I’ll go and tomorrow everything will be back to the way it was.”

•

It doesn’t require Jeonghan to go to the company as ordered by Jisoo’s parents.

Cheonsa Perfumery was Jisoo’s own brand name, established with the help of family and friends after he graduated. He was a business major while Jeonghan took a Chemistry course. He wasn’t into it at first as he wanted to take up different researches but Jisoo still gave him the option to work in the lab, making different scents of perfume and just like that he came to love it.

But when his husband of eight years died the same time he lost his eyesight, Jeonghan had to quit from the lab. He wanted to give everything up, but his loved ones still gave light to his already dark life and now he manages the company alongside his late husband’s parents.

Hyunwoo would always call him during important meetings, or when the company needs a word about something. As of now they’re set on releasing a new perfume line for men and Jeonghan has been busy for the whole week. Others think he’s too relaxed in his job, but none of his employees dare to move unless he says something to them. Telling them something always requires him to wake up in ungodly hours and sleeping at the same.

Jihoon is asleep in front of the TV again and it has been going on since Monday. Jeonghan sighs and feels his way to the sofa, hands finding their way on his little body before he carries him with his head leaning on his shoulder.

“Appa...?”

“Shh it’s okay. Let’s go to bed, hm?”

He ascends the stairs with ease, fortunately, and sets Jihoon down the king-sized bed. He lies down beside the boy and forgets about his job for now.

The next morning he’s surprised when Wonwoo leaves him a voice message. He listens to it over and over again as he walks around his house.

“Jeonghan, hey it’s Wonwoo. I haven’t spoken to you in almost a week. I was just wondering if you want to meet up?

“Mingyu, Seungcheol and the kids will also be there. We just want to check if you’re doing well.”

He smiles.

“If you’re up for it you can just, um, give me a call? Yeah. So, bye. Have a nice day!”

Before the call cuts off he hears Mingyu and Seungkwan talking in the background.

Jeonghan sighs. 

Three years into his blindness the only person he calls as his friend is the high school boy, Chan. In any other day he would’ve said yes and called Wonwoo right away, but the embarrassment of what happened six days ago is still very much alive, no matter how many times he tried pushing it to the very far back of his mind.

If it were any other person he wouldn’t think about it at all, but there’s something about Seungcheol that makes him nervous and he doesn’t quite like the feeling.

It’s bad enough he’s blind and he can’t really make some of his decisions without the help of someone‘s eyes.

Before the voice mail repeats once more he turns his phone off, walks to the kitchen and already hears the sizzling of food and savoury smell.

“Good morning, grandma.”

“Good morning, dear.” He smiles. “I almost didn’t know what to cook today since I thought you didn’t have groceries.”

“I actually don’t—“

“But thank goodness! Chan dropped by earlier this morning with bags full of whatever it is your house’s lacking before going to school.”

“Chan? But—“

“And he said he left your change and the receipt—though you probably wouldn’t need it—on the cabinet.”

“...Thank you.”

“Breakfast will be ready in a few.”

Jeonghan really tried, for hundreds of times already, to tell his neighbors that they didn’t need to escort him. The grandmother is too stubborn to listen to him.

_You’re blind. I don’t want you dying because you just slipped._

_Don’t worry this is very normal for me._

_My husband’s also blind._

_I’m not only cooking for you, you know?_

_I’m not your maid but consider this free food with my own family._

He sits on the stool facing opposite to where she’s cooking.

*

“Jeonghan!” He puts Jihoon down who runs up to his room, Jeonghan not really knowing that the kid is slightly scared of the woman. “I’d like you to meet my grandson!”

“H-Hi! My name is Lee—Lee Chan.”

“He’s in 11th grade and will be helping you from now on!”

Jeonghan frowns as he waves his hands about.

“No it’s okay! It’s already too much having you help me.”

“Nonsense! This kid really loves helping other people. Isn’t that right, Chan?”

“Y-Yeah...”

He can’t really tell if he is willing. Jeonghan sighs, finally nodding his head and the grandmother goes off into the kitchen. He’s sitting on the leather in front of the TV, Chan fidgeting and looking around his big house.

He’s only new to the neighborhood, in the city coming from a small province with his mom and dad since he was little, and now he had the chance to transfer to a music school in Seoul. He’s living with his grandmother, and grandfather who is also blind.

When he knew about the blind neighbor his grandmother kept on telling him, he got curious and out of pity wanted to help him.

That was a week ago.

Now that he finally got to meet him and see him up close he can’t help but be nervous.

The whole neighborhood wasn’t joking and exaggerating when they said there was a  really handsome blind man somewhere.

_Or beautiful. Both maybe. Yeah._

Chan nods to himself.

“So,” Jeonghan starts. He turns his head to his direction and smiles. “Are you forced by grandma to come here?”

“Huh? N-No! I really wanted to help.” Chan scratches his head. “I know how hard it is to live without seeing anything and considering you’re young...”

“Young?” Jeonghan laughs. “I’m already in my thirties, Chan. While you are just 19 or so.”

“...That’s still kind of young...”

“Whatever you say.” Jeonghan pats the seat next to him. “It’s nice meeting you, Lee Chan. I’ll be in your care from now on.”

*

“Are you even listening?”

Jeonghan shakes his head. The grandmother sighs, placing a plate full of whatever it is in front of him and yells Jihoon’s name.

•

Wonwoo and Mingyu, together with the kids are seated on a six-person table waiting for Seungcheol to come back with their food. Soonyoung and Seungkwan have been talking about school nonstop, Mingyu listening to them in disbelief because never in his life did he miss going to school. In fact, he always made sure he got suspended when he could but at the same time not getting kicked out for good.

Wonwoo must’ve heard what he’s thinking and he frowns, nudging him as hard as he can.

“You’re from a different generation. Don’t even try to brainwash them about how school sucks.”

“Wha—I didn’t even say anything?”

“Whatever.”

Seungcheol comes back with a trolley and two trays balanced on it, giving each person their share of food.

“Finally hell shifts are over!” Mingyu sighs loudly. “For now.”

“Does that mean I get to be with appa again?!”

He grins at Seungkwan.

“Of course! I worked really  reaaaally hard for Kwanie!”

“You hear that, Soon?” Seungcheol turns to his kid. Soonyoung looks up at him with his mouth full of noodles, questioning eyes glimmering at him he can’t help but coo just slightly. “You won’t be left alone at night starting today. My boss decided to cut the midnight shifts yesterday.”

“Is that why we’re getting lunch at a Friday?”

“Yup!”

“Can we go play games after?!” Seungkwan bounces on his seat. “I want to play with Soonyoung hyung!”

“I also want to play with Seungkwan!”

Wonwoo pats his head and tells him they’ll go later, going back to feeding Hansol and cooing at him. When he straightens out he sees the high school kid with Jeonghan and Jihoon riding the elevator, then looking back at him and he whispers to the blind man.

Jihoon whips his head at his direction and he beams, running up to the two unsuspecting kids.

“He made it afterall.”

“Hm?” Mingyu looks up. “It’s Jeonghan hyung!”

“Who?” Seungcheol turns around. 

He didn’t mean to, but he still freezes on his spot with heat creeping up from his legs to his head. He gulps and turns back around as the three approaches their table, Wonwoo busy talking to Jeonghan while he helps Chan move a table and chairs to connect to theirs.

Jeonghan was so nervous hours before just thinking about accepting Wonwoo’s offer. Now that he’s right in front of them greeting them one by one, the only person he can’t really get to feel is Seungcheol. It’s like there’s a force preventing him from doing so, the rapid beating of his heart feels too suffocating.

Of course he has to sit beside him of all people.

**Author's Note:**

> The same story can be found in AFF and both are updated at the same time!


End file.
